I love looking at packing lists, especially my own. But i love looking at posters packing lists as a question. So it would be more interesting for me to see yours and be able to give my two bobs worth on it rather than have to look at everyone else's on this thread. Though i know that's my problem since the thread is yours. So to humour me, when you've worked it out, post your list here and we can give you feedback. Also because as someone else said, you've got to pack for your trip and those other ones listed will be for different trips.

So we should know (would like to know) where you are going (in relevant detail), when and for how long.

il padrone. YOu've nothing to apologise for. Your posting is more user friendly than all those links to downloads and so on. Well from my perspective at least. Though now i'm not sure if you mention which trip this gear list is designed for.

That list is a pretty universal list of items I would pack for expedition-style touring of 4 days to 3 weeks duration in SE Australia. Expedition meanng we would be going into the high country or other forest country areas (eg. the Otways, Sth Gippsland, NE Victoria) for multi-night bush camping. I did not have too much different packed for my recent 18 day tour of Tasmania, or our 2010 tour from Melbourne to Oodnadatta (9 weeks) including the Vic west coast and Flinders Ranges.

As an adendum to the list, I have also recorded my standard packing strategy (panniers as 'rooms') that helps me avoid the 'oh it's in the other pannier' situation. I find it very useful and have been doing this for the past 12 years or so.

il padrone wrote:As an adendum to the list, I have also recorded my standard packing strategy (panniers as 'rooms') that helps me avoid the 'oh it's in the other pannier' situation. I find it very useful and have been doing this for the past 12 years or so.

I also do this but probably take it a step further and try and be consistent in what goes in the left pannier and the right pannier. Might update my spreadsheet to reflect this as well.

J Quinton wrote:Call me lazy or whatever, but I find it takes more energy to try to put everything in it's 'place' than it does to find it every time.

Me too - I organise like items into small silnylon stuff sacks, which are very slippy and slide easily into roughly the same pannier each day. Once packed the panniers are not opened again until the end of the day, when they are unpacked and arranged along the wall of the tent for easy access. That is as much organization as my mind can tolerate.

J Quinton wrote:Call me lazy or whatever, but I find it takes more energy to try to put everything in it's 'place' than it does to find it every time.

But that's where my 'rooms' strategy works for me. Very little thinking required as all the items in each bag are related. Also I've done it this way so often now it's second nature. I very rarely need to hunt fom one pannier to the next to find something, and with four panniers and handlebar bag the hunting could get disheartening.

My pannier pockets (four of them) do get a bit tricky - need to be more consistent there.

Riding bikes in traffic - what seems dangerous is usually safe; what seems safe is often more dangerous.

On this topic, but not a reply to OP, here's my packing list. Anyone care to critique or add comments? I put my comments and thoughts in brackets next to each item.

I leave in 3 weeks, enough time to order/obtain anything else needed.

Duration of tour: ~4.5 weeksApprox length of tour: ~1,300km (covering around 60-80km per day on average with a couple of non-riding rest days each week).Destination: Western Europe, exact areas unconfirmed. Possibly eastern/southern region of France, western/central Germany, Belgium and Netherlands.Season: Late summer / early autumn.Expected weather: Mild conditions, mostly sunny days around 20-25°C, evenings around 10-15°C. Potential for a few rainy days over the month.

I've got this list in Evernote, so I have been reviewing and updating it every few days as I do test packs and test/assess my gear.

I wanted to get a J.A. Stein Mini Cassette Lock as I am a bit concerned about breaking a spoke on the rear wheel, but it's been difficult to get hold of. I figured that since I am in a highly developed area of the world with many cyclists any repairs that might need to be done beyond my tool/skill set shouldn't be too difficult to arrange. Hence why I am not quite as loaded up as other tourers heading off to far more remote and desolate regions (e.g. Aushiker's 'Dreaming tour').

I've been looking at getting a Kindle or other eBook reader as I like to take time to relax and read a book while travelling. Not sure if I'll bother as one book will probably last me the month anyway. I am still trying to figure out my options for keeping my phone and other USB powered devices charged on the road. My phone only lasts a day with normal use, half that with Google maps and GPS navigation active. Nothing on the market seems to do the job properly though, it's all bulky, heavy and expensive.

This is also on the general list, but it is more of a 'to do' list than my pack list. The Tardis will be probably be left behind in Germany (I'll pick it up on my way home).

I'd class an underlayer as a thermal ? Anyway - I'm going away for 30ish days and taking 4 sets of lycra

I have never worn padded thermals so cannot comment on that aspect but assumed from the reference to padded that they are something like the Ground Effect Underdogs. ... BTW I am going for three months and have two sets of riding gear. More than enough even with up to 20 days between laundry spots

Aushiker wrote:I have never worn padded thermals so cannot comment on that aspect but assumed from the reference to padded that they are something like the Ground Effect Underdogs. ... BTW I am going for three months and have two sets of riding gear. More than enough even with up to 20 days between laundry spots

Andrew

They aren't themals. They are just like bike shorts, except smaller and with a slightly thinner pad to be worn underneath baggies (just like the GE Underdogs). Rapha padded merino boxers are very breathable and comfortable, stay fresh for a while and are easy to wash/dry quickly. I might get another pair though for backup. I'll be hand washing my underwear and socks each day, allowing them to dry overnight and the next day ready for use again the day after.

Last edited by elStado on Tue Jul 03, 2012 12:12 am, edited 1 time in total.

Riding the Oodnadattta Track we went for about 5-6 days between reliable clothes washing. I carried two pairs of knicks and one pair of GE Juggernauts (but rarely wore these in the coolish conditions). You do the maths - I was wearing each of those knicks for at least a couple of days at a stretch between washes. Water was too scarce to go wasting it on clothes washing.

It was on this trip that I discovered the real value of a merino thermal - wear it for 4-5 days and no 'pong' at all

Riding bikes in traffic - what seems dangerous is usually safe; what seems safe is often more dangerous.